Deny No Longer
by poryu
Summary: 'Hate...' A strange look passed over Kaname's face. All this time, he had been asking himself why he could never seem to go through with killing Zero. Well, this was why. Written for xSonya's prompt.


**Author's Notes:** Hi all! Wrote this for **xSonya's** prompt on **Vampire Knight Yaoi Writing Prompts Forum.** Go check out the forum for other awesome stories, as well as to post your own prompts/stories!

 **Disclaimer:** Vampire Knight belongs to **Matsuri Hino.**

 **Prompt:** **'** Kaname has been wanting to kill Zero for a long time... he could just never bring himself to do it.'

* * *

Harsh, wheezing coughs echoed throughout the Night Dorm, cutting through the peaceful silence that had fallen over the building. Class changeover had been several hours ago, and the vampires of Cross Academy were presently sleepi-sitting through another dreary class with Yagari.

All save one.

Narrowed burgundy eyes stared down at the boy at the other end of his arm, whose slender neck was currently enclosed by Kaname's iron grip.

'Let... go, you...you bastard!'

The pureblood's eyes flashed in anger, his grip tightening. 'You insolent brat. Know your place.'

Zero gasped breathlessly as his air supply was further cut off. His head was beginning to spin from the lack of oxygen, but he forced himself to give no outward indication of it. Instead, he glared defiantly at the pureblood, rasping out his next words.

'My place...? Standing over you... putting a bullet... in your chest...'

Kaname raised an eyebrow. 'You? Kill _me?'_

He chuckled mirthlessly, eyeing the hunter coldly. 'We both know that will never happen, Kiryuu. Not now, not ever.'

The hunter bristled, growling. Did Kuran think he was _oh_ so very invincible? Zero _would_ kill him one day, he would make damned sure of that! And he tried his utmost best to relay that threat to the pureblood, but all he managed to squeeze out past his constricted windpipe was another choked gasp.

Despite himself, Kaname was slightly impressed by how well the ex-human was able to maintain that hateful glare towards him, even though he was sure to be hurting from the oxygen loss by now.

Those amethyst eyes, forever directing their scornful depths at him, as if _he_ were the enemy, as if _he_ were the one responsible for Kiryuu's suffering.

Such impudence, and from a mere _ex-human!_

If it had been any other pureblood, Kiryuu would have been dead long ago, his sharp tongue and impulsive teeth-baring intolerable to those who expected complete obedience from their subjects.

Yet, why was it that Kaname could never bring himself to do the same?

Even now, with the hunter at his complete mercy, life literally in his hands, why didn't Kaname just end it right now? All he had to do was squeeze a little harder. A brief struggle - admirable, though pointless - and those eyes would glare at him no longer. No more being spat at and being so blatantly disrespected. Life would be so much more peaceful without Kiryuu around.

He had reason to, after all. Aside from the usual, that was. Time and _time_ again, the hunter saw fit to drink from Yuuki, despite how Kaname had so readily offered his own blood. That Kiryuu had _dared_ to touch Yuuki that way, to taste the tantalising blood of which the pureblood was denied... it was infuriating. It filled Kaname with enough rage and hatred to want to see the ex-human suffer.

Or so it should be.

If only things were just that simple.

'Why don't you... just... kill me... already?' rasped the hunter, struggling valiantly to hold onto his consciousness. His vision was starting to grow fuzzy, and he knew it was only a matter of time before he sank into the darkness. A stab of raw fear struck through him, that perhaps this time... perhaps this time, Kuran would _really_ kill him. God knew he had aggravated him enough. Nevertheless, Zero would make sure he fought him tooth and nail, right till the very end. No way would he go out begging for his life. Not from a _leech._

Kaname pursed his lips, his eyes quietly contemplating. For once in his life, the boy was right. The pureblood should just end him - right here, right now. Yuuki... well, she would forgive him eventually. He could simply tell her that Zero had fallen to Level E, that Kaname'd had no choice. She'd believe him - she always did.

Still he hesitated.

Why _was_ that?

Without even quite realising what he was doing, Kaname leaned forward, his face mere inches away from his weakened prey. Zero snarled at him, though with only a fraction of the energy he usually had. Trapped between the wall and the pureblood's unyielding hold, there was nowhere for the hunter to escape.

 _Is this it, then?_ thought Zero desperately, his eyelids fluttering shut of their own volition. His body slackened, mostly due to his lack of energy, but also partly due to his resignation of his death.

Then again, perhaps death wouldn't be too bad... After all the crap he'd been made to go through, some peace sounded pretty damned attractive.

 _Yuuki... I'm_ _sorry I_ _couldn't be strong enough to live for you..._

Knees buckling slightly, he slid a little lower down the wall. By now, most of his weight was being supported by Kaname's grip. He was barely conscious enough to stand on his own feet. It felt like he was spinning, round and round, until he no longer knew which way was up.

 _Do it fast, Kuran..._

Zero suddenly tensed, stirred slightly out of his darkening consciousness. Something warm had unexpectedly pressed against his mouth, the sensation foreign and strange.

With his mind well on its way to shutting down, it took him several stuttering heartbeats before he finally realised what that _something_ was.

By that time, Kaname's lips had already started moving against his - urgently, as if he sought after something he thought Zero might be concealing

Zero moaned weakly in protest, trying to summon the strength to turn his head away. What the...!? Kuran was _kissing_ him? Was that some kind of perverse habit the pureblood had? Kissing his dying victims just before they breathed their last? He wouldn't put it past him, after all.

Sensing Zero's resistance, Kaname's free hand grabbed his jaw, tilting his head upward for better access, as well as holding it firmly in place. He nibbled on the other's lower lip, causing Zero's lips to part in a involuntary gasp of surprise.

And then, before the hunter knew it, a hot, wet tongue was slipping past his lips, sliding against his own and invading the depths of his mouth.

What in the _hell_ was going on!? Had the pureblood finally gone nuts? Or was this all just some warped hallucination that the ex-human's mind had created as he lay dying?

Zero didn't have too much time to ponder upon that, however. For one nerve-racking second, he wavered unsteadily on his feet, still desperately trying not to crumble to the ground. However, in the next, his knees finally gave out.

His oxygen-starved body had finally reached its limit.

As he collapsed onto the floor, Kaname followed him down, mouth reluctantly separating from his.

However, contrary to the hunter's expectations, Kaname didn't smirk at him in victory. Didn't mock Zero about how pathetic and weak he really was, how useless of a being he was.

Instead... he released his grip on Zero's throat.

Distressed lungs immediately proceeded to suck in glorious air, causing the ex-human to gasp and pant desperately as his body's oxygen supply started up again. For a good whole minute, he remained doubled-over, mouth hanging open as he struggled to catch his breath.

When he finally looked up, Kaname was crouching in front of him silently, his expression unreadable. He hadn't moved in the entire time Zero had been recovering from his asphyxia.

The hunter eyed him warily, mind working furiously to figure out what tricks the other vampire had up his sleeve. Why else would he stop? He had clearly been intending to just finish him off then and there...

But before that, he had a much more pressing question.

'What the hell were you doing back there, Kuran? Did all the blood rush to your head when you realised you were about to kill the person you've always hated?'

A strange look passed over Kaname's face. _'...hate...?'_

Zero glared impatiently at the pureblood. 'What are you mumbling about!?'

 _'If only I could hate you...'_

The hunter did a double-take, brows furrowing in incomprehension. _Wait, what...?_

A hand on his chest pushed him - not ungently - back against the wall, and his eyes widened imperceptibly. The next second, Kaname had leant forward, claiming his lips once again.

This time, however, it lasted for only a second, ending almost as quickly as it had begun.

Zero shoved the pureblood away roughly, scrubbing his lips viciously with the back of his hand. Kuran's taste still lingered there from their earlier kiss, and it was making him want to throw up.

'You are goddamned _disgusting_ , Kuran, you know that? What is frigging _wrong_ with you!?'

Kaname said nothing, staring hollowly at the hunter. Denial had been his constant companion all these years, helping him to forget what he could not accept to himself. For so long, he had buried his emotions, doing his best to squash them down, to destroy them... but it was no good, after all. It was impossible to repress such strong feelings forever. He had known that all along, even if he had always refused to acknowledge it.

But he could deny it no longer.

That first kiss had unlocked the iron gates around his heart, causing all those hidden feelings to surge to the surface.

The second kiss... it had only served to further affirm that emotion.

All this time, he had been asking himself why he could never seem to go through with killing Zero.

Well, _this_ was why.

His feelings for Kiryuu... they were not, despite what everyone else thought, _'hate'._

They had never been.

 _'...I..towards you...'_

Abruptly, Kaname got to his feet, turning away from the hunter. Zero's face had twisted into disbelief, staring at the pureblood as if he had lost his mind.

Well, perhaps that was the truth.

After all...

 _I love you..._

 _...even though you will never love me back._

Kaname walked out of the room, not once looking back.

* * *

 **END.**

Writing Kaname and Zero this way, so spiteful towards each other, feels TERRIBLE. Especially since I've only ever written them as being lovers. I wanted to write a story for xSonya's prompt, but I'm not entirely satisfied with this... Still, I couldn't improve it any further, so I'd thought I would just post it to hear what you guys think. It turned out to be unrequited love... which is just plain depressing :( poor Kaname T.T Still, I hope you guys enjoyed reading this :) Reviews are much appreciated! And I'm so sorry **xSonya,** if this didn't really fit your prompt...


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